the darrow enigma-第12节

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they　strengthen　his　theory；　that　no　sane　man　would　publish　such　a
thing；　except　as　a　weak　attempt　to　deceive　the　insurance　companies。
As　for　the　money　all　being　paid　to　the　discoverer　of　the　assassin；
instead　of　to　his　daughter；　he　will　simply　dispose　of　that　by
saying：　'No　assassin；　no　reward；　and　the　fund　remains　intact。'　If
now；　the　other　papers　permit　Miss　Darrow　to　use　the　interest　of　this
fund　while　holding　the　principal　in　trust；　we　do　not　at　present　know
enough　of　this　matter　to　successfully　refute　Osborne's　reasoning。
This　mystery　seems　to　grow　darker　rather　than　lighter。　　The　one
thing　upon　which　we　seem　continually　to　get　evidence　is　the　question
of　sanity。　　If　Mr。　Darrow's　suspicions　were　directed　against　no　one
in　particular；　then　it　is　clear　his　dreams；　and　all　the　rest　of　his
fears　for　that　matter；　had　a　purely　subjective　origin；　which　is　to
say　that　upon　this　one　subject；　at　least；　he　was　of　unsound　mind。〃

〃I　cannot　think　so；〃　Gwen　interrupted。　　〃He　was　so　rational　in
everything　else。〃

〃That　is　quite　possible；〃　I　replied。　　〃I　have　known　people　to　be
monomaniacs　upon　the　subject　of　water；　and　to　go　nowhere　without　a
glass　of　it　in　their　hands。　　There　is　also　a　well…authenticated　case
of　a　man　who　was　as　sane　as　you　or　I　until　he　heard　the　words　'real
estate。'　　One　day　while　quietly　carving　the　meat　at　a　dinner　to
which　he　had　invited　several　guests；　a　gentleman　opposite　him
inadvertently　spoke　the　fatal　words；　when；　without　a　word　of　warning；
he　sprang　at　him　across　the　table；　using　the　carving…knife　with　all
the　fury　of　the　most　violent　maniac；　and　yet；　under　all　other
conditions；　he　was　perfectly　rational。〃

〃If；　on　the　other　hand；〃　said　Maitland；　continuing　his　remarks　as　if
unaware　of　our　interruption；　〃Mr。　Darrow's　suspicions　had　any
foundation　in　fact；　it　is　almost　certain　they　must　have　been　directed
against　some　specific　person　or　persons。　　If　so；　why　did　he　not　name
them　？　　…　but；　stay　…　how　do　we　know　that　he　did　not？　　Let　us　proceed
with　our　examination　of　the　papers；〃　and　he　began　perusing　the
insurance　policies。　　Neither　Gwen　nor　I　spoke　till　he　had　finished
and　thrown　them　down；　when　we　both　turned　expectantly　toward　him。

〃All　in　Osborne's　favour　so　far；〃　he　said。　　〃Principal　to　be　held　in
trust　by　Miss　Darrow　under　the　terms　of　a　will　which　we　have　yet　to
find；　the　income；　until　the　discharge　of　the　trust；　to　go　to　Miss
Darrow。　　Now　for　this；〃　and　he　passed　Gwen　the　sealed　envelope
addressed　to　her。

She　broke　the　seal　with　much　agitation。　　〃Shall　I　read　it　aloud？〃
she　asked。

We　signified　our　desire　to　hear　it；　and　she　read　as　follows：

MY　DEAR　GWEN：

My　forebodings　have　seemed　to　you　strange　and　uncalled　for；　but　when
this　comes　to　your　hand　you　will　know　whether　or　not　they　were
groundless。　　Of　one　episode　in　my　career　which　shook　the　structure
of　my　being　to　its　foundation　stone；　you　have　been　carefully　kept
in　ignorance。　　It　is　necessary　that　you　should　know　it　when　I　am
gone；　and　I　have　accordingly　committed　it　to　this　paper；　which　will
then　fall　into　your　hands。　　My　early　life；　until　two　years　after　I
married　your　mother；　was　spent　in　India；　the　adult　portion　thereof
being　devoted　to　the　service　of　the　East　India　Company。　　I　had　charge
of　a　department　in　their　depot　at　Bombay。　　You　have　seen　Naples。
Add　to　the　beauties　of　that　city　the　interesting　and　motley
population　of　Cairo　and　you　can　form　some　idea　of　the　attractions　of
Bombay。　　I　was　very　happy　there　until　the　occurrence　of　the　event　I
am　about　to　narrate。

One　morning；　my　duties　calling　me　to　one　of　the　wharves；　my　attention
was　attracted　by　a　young　girl　dancing　upon　the　flags　by　the　water's
edge。　　The　ordinary　bayadere　is　so　common　an　object　in　India　as　to
attract　but　little　notice　from　anyone　of　refined　tastes；　but　this
girl；　judging　from　the　chaste　beauty　of　her　movements；　was　of　a　very
different　type。　　As　my　curiosity　drew　me　nearer　to　her　she　turned　her
face　toward　me；　and　in　that　instant　I　knew　my　hour　had　come。

Though　many　years　her　senior　she　was　still　my　first　love；　…　the　one
great　passion　of　my　life。

I　do　not　attempt　to　describe　her　ineffable　loveliness；　for；　like　the
beauty　of　a　flower；　it　was　incapable　of　analysis。　　Nothing　that　I
could　write　would　give　you　any　adequate　idea　of　this　girl's　seraphic
face；　for　she　was　like　unto　no　one　you　have　ever　seen　in　this　cold
Western　world。　　I　watched　in　a　wild；　nervous　transport；　I　know　not
how　long　…　time　and　space　had　no　part　in　this　new　ecstasy　of　mine！
I　could　think　of　nothing；　do　nothing　…　only　feel；　…　feel　the　hot
blood　deluge　my　brain　only　to　fall　back　in　scalding　torrents　upon
my　heart　with　a　pain　that　was　exquisite　pleasure。

Suddenly　she　changed　her　step　and　executed　a　quick　backward　movement
toward　the　water；　stopping　just　as　her　heels　touched　the　curb　at　the
edge　of　the　wharf；　then　forward；　and　again　a　quick　return　to　the
backward　movement；　but　this　time　she　mistook　the　distance；　her　heels
struck　the　curb　forcibly；　and　she　was　precipitated　backward　into　the
water。　　For　a　moment　I　stood　as　one　petrified；　unable　to　reason；
much　less　to　act；　then　the　excited　voices　of　the　crowd　recalled　me。
They　had　thrown　a　rope　into　the　water　and　were　waiting　for　her　to
come　to　the　surface　and　grasp　it。　　The　wall　from　which　she　had　fallen
must　have　been　at　least　fifteen　feet　above　the　water；　which　was
littered　with　broken　spars；　pieces　of　timber；　and　other　odd　bits　of
wood。　　It　seemed　as　if　she　would　never　come　to　the　surface；　and　when
at　length　she　did；　she　did　not　attempt　to　seize　the　rope　thrown　to
her；　but　sank　without　a　movement。　　The　truth　flashed　upon　me　in　an
instant。　　She　had　struck　her　head　against　some　of　the　floating　drift
and　was　unconscious！　　Something　must　be　done　at　once。　　I　seized　the
rope　and　sprang　in　after　her；　taking　good　care　to　avoid　obstructions；
and　although；　as　you　know；　I　never　learned　to　swim；　I　succeeded　in
reaching　her；　and　we　were　drawn　up　together。　　I　bore　her　in　my　arms
into　one　of　the　storerooms　close　by；　and；　laying　her　upon　a　bale　of
cotton；　used　such　restoratives　as　could　be　quickly　procured。

I　was　kneeling　by　her；　my　arm　under　her　neck；　in　the　act　of　raising
her　head；　when　she　opened　her　eyes；　and　fastened　them；　full　of
wonderment；　upon　my　face。　　A　moment　more；　her　memory　returning　to　her；
she　made　a　little　movement；　as　if　to　free　herself。　　I　was　too　excited
then　to　heed　it；　and　continued　to　support　her　head。　　She　did　not
repeat　the　movement；　but　half　closed　her　eyes　and　leaned　back
resignedly　against　my　arm。　　If；　I　thought；　these　few　minutes　could
be　expanded　into　an　eternity；　it　would　be　my　idea　of　heaven。　　She
was　recovering　rapidly　now　and　soon　raised　herself　into　a　sitting
posture；　saying；　in　very　good　English；　〃I　think　I　can　stand　now；
Sahib。〃　　I　gave　her　my　arm　and　assisted　her　to　her　feet。　　Her
hand　closed　upon　my　sleeve　as　if　to　see　how　wet　it　was；　and　glancing
at　my　dripping　garments；　she　said　simply：　〃You　have　been　in　the
water；　Sahib；　and　it　is　to　you　I　owe　my　life。　　I　shall　never　forget
your　kindness。　　She　raised　her　eyes　to　my　face　and　met　my　gaze　for
a　moment；　as　she　spoke。　　We　are　told　that　the　eye　is　incapable　of
any　expression　save　that　lent　it　by　the　lids　and　brow；　…　that　the
eyeball　itself；　apart　from　its　direction；　and　the　changes　of　the
pupil　resulting　from　variations　in　the　intensity　of　light；　can
carry　no　message　whatsoever。　　This　may　be　so；　but；　without　any
noticeable　movement　of　the　eyes　that　met　mine；　I　learned　with
ineffable　delight　that　this　young　girl's　soul　and　mine　were　threaded
upon　the　same　cord　of　destiny。　　My　emotion　so　overpowered　me　that
I　could　not　speak；　and　when　my　self…possession　returned　the　young
girl　had　vanished。

》From　the　height　of　bliss　I　now　plunged　into　the　abyss　of　despair。
I　had　let　her　go　without　a　word。　　I　did　not　even　know　her　name。　　I
had　caught　her　to　myself　from　the　ocean　only　to　suffer　her　to　drown
herself　among　the　half…million　inhabitants　of　Bombay。　　What　must　she
think　of　me？　　I　asked　the　wharfinger　if　he　knew　her；　but　he　had　never
seen　her　before。　　All　my　other　inquiries　proved　equally　fruitless。
I　wondered　if　she　knew　that　I　loved　her；　but　hardiy　dared　to　hope
she　had　been　able　to　correctly　interpret　my　boorish　conduct。　　I
could　think　of　but　one　thing　to　do。　　If　I　did　not　know　her　name；
neither　did　she　know　mine；　and　so　if　she　desired　a　further
acquaintance；　she；　like　myself；　must　rely　upon　a　chance　meeting。
If　she　had　detected　my　admiration　for　her　she　must　know　that　I　too
would　strive　to　meet　her　again。　　Where　would　she　be　most　likely　to
expect　me　to　look　for　her？　　Clearly　at　the　same　place　we　had　met
before；　and　at　the　same　time　of　day。　　She　might　naturally　think　my
duties　called　me　there　daily　at　that　hour。　　I　determined　to　be　there
at　the　same　time　the　next　day。

I　arrived　to　find　her　there　before　me；　anxiously　peering　at　the
passers…by。　　She　was　certainly　looking　for　me；　…　there　was　ecstasy
in　the　thought！

It　is　not　necessary；　my　dear　child；　that　I　should　describe　the
details　of　our　love…making；　for　my　present　purpose　is　not　merely　to
interest　you；　but　rather　to　acquaint　you　with　certain　occurrences
which　I　now　deem　it　wise　you